Patrician Brothers

ABC Lateline

A Patrician brother convicted of molestation and buggery charges was taken back into the order under a new name after serving his jail time.

Transcript

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: The Federal Government's recently announced royal commission is being asked to specifically examine institutional responses to allegations of child sexual abuse.

Tonight, Lateline looks at how one order of Catholic brothers has dealt with alleged child sex abuse cases.

Brother Thomas Grealy, who was jailed on molestation and buggery charges in 1997, has been welcomed back to the order. Not only has he been reinstated as a Patrician Brother, a recent newsletter produced by the order refers to him as a Patrician "treasure".

Lateline has learned that police soon expect to arrest another two men who had been at the Patrician Brothers school at Blacktown over sexual abuse allegations.

The Entrance, a popular beachside town an hour and a half north of Sydney, is one of several places across New South Wales that the Patrician Brothers' Catholic order call home.

It's where Thomas Grealy has been living, a convicted paedophile who spent four years in jail for the rape and indecent assault of two boys at the Patrician Brothers' Primary School at Granville in Western Sydney.

JASON PARKINSON, VICTIMS' LAWYER: It would appear that every boy in the class had been assaulted.

EMMA ALBERICI: How many in the class?

JASON PARKINSON: Um, around 28.

EMMA ALBERICI: Jason Parkinson represents five men who allege they too were abused by Brother Thomas Grealy in the '70s.

Brother Grealy was the school principal. During his 1997 trial the court heard that he would cover the statue of the Virgin Mary in his office with a coat to hide his shame before abusing the nine and 10-year-old boys in his care.